Horses, dogs, cats… animals try to escape the flames in the Los Angeles fires

When leaving their home in an emergency, many owners hastily organized to evacuate the premises with their pet. But not everyone was able to take shelter with their little companion, some not being at home at the start of these fires which have ravaged Los Angeles for more than ten days and which have claimed the lives of at least 27 people.

This is the case of Casez Colvin, whose story made the rounds in the media and social networks. He was being interviewed live on the local NBC channel when the flames reached his house. “I see the flames on the hill where my house is. I hope my dogs are well, they are like my family. I don’t care about my house, I only care about my dogs.”he testified in shock, before bursting into tears at the microphone of the disarmed journalist. If one of his two dogs had managed to escape in time, the other remained nowhere to be found.

It was only five days later, in front of several cameras, that Casez Colvin finally found Oreo, his fur covered in ashes, near the rubble of his completely destroyed home. The video showing the Californian crying with joy, hugging the little creature against him and shouting victory in the street, moved millions of Internet users.

Difficult to escape large fires

As the flames approach, “animals move away while remaining close to home, if they cannot find other shelter”explains Stephanie Eyes, senior wildlife biologist at the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, in an article relayed by the American media Newsweek. So Oreo has certainly adopted this behavior.

Wild animals also move, “around their area of ​​origin, avoiding the smoke until it is safe to return”she continues. Coyotes and deer have been observed wandering disoriented in downtown Los Angeles. Although Californian wildlife is used to forest fires, they may encounter difficulty finding shelter in the face of a fire of such intensity. “Wildlife has adapted to cope with smaller fires and, unfortunately, sometimes cannot escape these recent large fires”a souligné Stephanie Eyes.

Noah’s Ark

Faced with the flames, Janell Gruss kept her cool. In a few minutes she sheltered 25 horses, pigs and other cows in an equestrian center in Altadena, north of Los Angeles, where she and her protégés took refuge, reports AFP. “It’s very hard for them because they don’t know what’s happening.”she confided.

After her catastrophic escape, Janell Gruss was relieved to find this haven of peace which took on the air of Noah’s Ark. “I thought I was going to be one of the victims killed by the fire”she whispered. “The last horse we took out of the stable, (…) it was really difficult”she said. “There was a lot of smoke, it was dark, I couldn’t see anything. The horse and I were tripping over things, branches.”

Among the animals rescued and welcomed in the center, we find ponies, donkeys and even a miniature cow who fled the flames in panic. In total, the establishment houses more than 200 horses, in addition to the approximately 500 who already lived there, indicates the BBC. As for the human survivors, donations are pouring in for the countless animals affected by the tragedy. “We’ve never seen anything like this.”Jennie Nevin, director of communications for the Los Angeles equestrian center, told AFP. “The first night, Tuesday, was very busy and chaotic. People came from everywhere (…) sometimes delivering a whole load of horses on big trucks.”she described.

“This is only the beginning”

And the outpouring of solidarity extends well beyond this single equestrian center. Animal rights activists, veterinarians and volunteers come from everywhere to offer their help. The Pasadena Humane Society, located in another suburb north of Los Angeles, has taken in 400 animals from Altadena as of January 12. Many are injured, diminished and visibly stressed. Like this five-day-old puppy, his eyes still closed, found with his ears burned in the middle of the ruins of a building in ashes.

Patron of the Animal Wellness Center clinic, Annie Harvilicz has not slept a wink in recent days. The veterinarian offered to take in animals when the first fire broke out in Pacific Palisades, an upscale neighborhood in northwest Los Angeles. Since then, it has been overwhelmed by requests for care and new arrivals. He is entrusted with dogs, cats and even a rabbit. A wave of victims which is likely to continue for a long time, according to her. Firefighters are trying to bring the fires under control, with great difficulty. “As the fire recedes in certain areas, we will find more injured animals. This is only the beginning”she predicts.

For the volunteers of these centers, seeing the owners reunited with their animals is a special and very moving experience. “It’s a really wonderful process to go through.”London Scott, founder of the local Cali Cowboy Club told the BBC, “to be able to see that with your own eyes and know that you played a small part in someone having some peace of mind in a tragic time.”

Faced with this emergency situation for the city’s animals, some of which are certainly still wandering in the rubble, the International Fund for Animal Welfare has set up emergency aid. “We deploy teams to find injured or hidden animals, as soon as we obtain authorization to access areas where the fire is under control”indicated Kelly Johnston, at Parisian .